Record 8% more students from disadvantaged backgrounds get into university

Over 20,000 students from disadvantaged backgrounds already placed on a degree course

8% more than at this time last year

Gap between rich and poor students narrowing

Substantially more students from disadvantaged backgrounds have won places at university on A level results day than ever before.

UCAS analysis reveals that over 20,000 UK 18 year olds from the most disadvantaged areas have been accepted into universities and colleges, a rise of 1,400 (8%).

The proportion of students getting a place from the most advantaged areas has remained steady meaning the gap between rich and poor is narrowing.

While the gap between rich and poor is shrinking, the difference between men and women has increased by a further 6,000, with over 52,000 more women accepted.

Almost 80 per cent of the total increase in acceptances this year comes from women,

Acceptances for men have increased by 1 per cent to 172,420 but acceptances for women have increased by 4 per cent to 224,570.

Mary Curnock Cook, UCAS Chief Executive said: “It is wonderful to be able to report the success that universities and colleges have had in recruiting record numbers of well-qualified students from disadvantaged backgrounds. However I would like to see more focus on educational achievement for boys through primary and secondary education to support improved access to Higher Education”

UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, is a charity and the UK's shared admissions service for higher education. We manage applications from over 650,000 people each year for full-time undergraduate courses at over 350 institutions across the UK.